Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-02-12

kets and pistols. The crew had at once bee
made prisoners, and set to work to strip th
| ship and hoist out such cargo as the pirate
| coveted. She was run in behind ono Of til
islands and anchored, and for three days an
nights the pirates were hard at work on hel
Each man of the crow worked under a guar
during the day, and at night captain and a
were secured in the forecastle. The ere,
numbered fourteen.
Toward evening of the third day the pirate
had secured all their plumber. Several nativ
crafts had been loaded and sailed up the coas
to some rendezvous, and only n remaine'
to take OH the last of the plumber. As n
actual violence had been offered captain o
crew during the three days there was hope tina
the pirates would 60 away and leave them il
possession of the robbed and dismantled brig
Just what shift they would have made in thi
case I cannot say, for the craft was left with
out sail, rope, block, o. provisions. About
o'clock in the afternoon the crew were ordere,
forward, while the natives collected aft, ant
at a given signal fire was opened on the de
fenseless men. To their credit let it be re
corded that they seized whatever weapon
they could lay hands on and dashed at tn
pirates, but it was simply to die like Draw
men. In ten minutes the last M was sho
down. The pirates then raised the anchor
and got it into their boat, bored holes in tn,
ships bottom, and started a fire In the hole
amidships. The information I have giver
you came from a little chap on board whit
was making bis first voyage as an apprentice
He was, if I remember right, only Is year.
old. On the morning Of the third day HI
managed to hide among the cargo, and The
pirates completed their work and sent the
hulk drifting out to sea without having
missed him. He was on deck to catch thu
painter of the mates boat when she drew
alongside, and to one of our crew who could
speak italian he gave the story as straight a
the captain could have talked.
We reported the affair at Singapore, and d
British gunboat was sent off to investigate.
She returned before we had completed our
loading and reported that she had made nc
discoveries. 1t was a warning for our cap.
tain, and he wisely determined to heed it.
We took IN shell and grape for our cannon,
Q dozen revolvers were purchased for the
crew, and on the very day we left the cap.
tain brought aboard two very heavy rifles
which he had picked up somewhere at a bar
gain. I call them rifles, but they were young
cannon, carrying a three ounce ball, with
powder enough behind it to kick the marks
man half way across the ship. We left
Singapore as well prepared as a merchant
vessel could be, and it seems that the captain
was advised to bear up well toward Borneo,
and give the Red islands a wide berth. We
crossed the equator at least 100 miles to the
east of the islands, as I overheard the cap
<~sa .~r n-I khon o1<o~nl o,,~ o,,-r 81 Al
southeast, calculating to pass to the east Of
Billion island before hauling away for Sunda
strait.
The bark made good weather of it, and we
had crossed the equator and run down on the
new course until Billion might have been
sighted from the masthead, when there came
a calm. Tho wind had died away about mid
forenoon, and the drift of the bark was to the
north. We looked for achange at sunset, but
nothing came, and the night passed without
wind enough to move O feather. My watch
was below when daylight came, and we got
the word to turn up lively. TO the northeast,
off the coast Of Borneo, two or three green
islands were in sight, and between us and tho
islands were two native craft bearing down
upon us. These craft were about the size Of
pilot boats, half decked over and rugged like
q catboat. They had been sighted when six
or seven miles away, and as my watch came
on deck the mate descended from the perch
aleft, whore he had been using tho glass, and
reported to the captain that tho craft were
approaching us by the use of sweeps. The
calm still held, but it was clear enough to a
eye that We should have a breeze as
soon Is the sun began to climb up. No man
~.V.-S l3--~n1R kl> $1,000 - k1no~o L~nkn ~>l,
out for the Huntress. At that time and
there could be but one answer The
presently called us aft and said:
"Men, the craft which you SEQ pulling out
for US are pirates. We shall have a breeze
an hour, but they will be here first.
II we cannot beat them of we are dead men.
They take no prisoners. I look to see every
man do his duty"
We gave him q cheer, and began our prep
The cook was ordered to fill his
full of water and start a rousing fire,
and the arms were brought up and served
out. There were three or four men who had
served at a heavy gun, and these took charge
tho cannon, and the piece was loaded with
, shell. When the captain called for some one
10 use the rifles, the only one who answered
was an American. He took them aft, loaded
hem with his W hands, and by the time the
pirates were within a mile we were as ready
- we could be. The bark was lying with
,er head to the east, and the fellows were
approaching us from the north, on our broad
jds. The mate kept his glass going, and an
that both craft were crowded with
non, but that he could see no cannon. They
made slow progress, and we were impatient
- 4~>, kh> A~hk Pu anA Inv -hen $haxy
have been three-quarters Of q mile
way, the captain passed word for the gun
,ers to send them q shot. In a few seconds
;hs big gun roared, and We all saw that the
hell few over the pirates and burst in the
dr. It was a good line shot and something
o encourage, but before the cannon sent an
,ther shot tho American had a try with ono
the rifles. The mate was watching his
hot from the rigging, and the report had
carcely died away before he shouted:
"Good for the Yankee! He hit at least a
ouple of them"
The second shell from The cannon burst
yer ono of the boats and took effect on some
+ the men, as reported by the mate. Tho
american then fired again, and again his
ullet told. We were doing bravely and were
I'LL of enthusiasm, but the struggle was yet
D come. The fellows bent their energies to
closer, and pretty soon they opened
n US with musketry, and the balls began to
through the rigging in a lively manner
We had our muskets ready, but the captain
rdered US to hold our fire and keep sheltered
ehind the rail One Of tho piratical craft
vas a quarter of q mile in advance OF tho
ther, and tho third shell from the cannon
urst aboard of her and must have killed
nd wounded dozen or more men. There
vas great confusion on board, and she re-
NAMED stationary until the other craft came
p. During this interval the American got
4 two more shots which found victims. We
ow looked upon the victory as assured, n
here was cheering from n end Of the ship
the other. We were a little ahead OF
ime. The third shot from our big gun burst
!, and although none Of the men was hurt
re were thus deprived of great advantage.
As soon as the captain knew what had
appened he called upon all the Grew to
better themselves and wait to fre al Gloss
One man was detailed to assist the
ook with tho hot water, and powder n
ullets were placed handy for reloading tho
I was stationed near tho gun car
AGE. and I noticed several shells lying about